Scrappage (2)

Leonie Cooper: How many additional businesses in London are now eligible for the scheme that were not eligible under previous rules?

The Mayor: On 22 January 2020, I announced that in addition to doubling the van scrappage payments from £3,500 to £7,000 I would be broadening the eligibility for the scheme so that more businesses can benefit. In addition to micro-businesses (up to 10 employees), small businesses with up to 50 employees are now eligible to apply. This means an additional c. 34,500 businesses, with up to an estimated 120,000 older, more polluting vehicles are eligible for the scheme.

Knife Crime RIU

Susan Hall: For each of the years 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019, please provide a breakdown of knife crime suspected offenders who have been released under investigation broken down by crime type?

The Mayor: The changes made by the Government regarding bail and Release Under Investigation have been counterproductive, they have led to people who should be released under stringent bail conditions not being done so. I have consistently made representations to the Home Secretary and the Government; the Commissioner has as well. I think that the Government has finally listened and realised they have made a mistake. Therefore, I hope that the proposed reforms will protect victims and alleged offenders alike.
Please see attached the requested data for the years 2018 and 2019. Released Under Investigation was not recorded until April 2017, therefore any annual comparison before 2018 would not be possible.

Police Bail training

Unmesh Desai: How many of the Met’s detention officers have been trained on using police bail effectively since the 3rd April 2017?

The Mayor: In total 1,920 police officers and staff from the Met Detention operational command unit (OCU) have been trained in police bail since 3rd April 2017, via face to face training. This training is supplemented by an online training course on the same subject. Further training about bail and domestic violence was also delivered in 2018, and additional updates are circulated ad hoc through regular OCU newsletters.

TFL pass 1

Susan Hall: For each of the years 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 how many people have been caught using a nominee TFL pass that did not belong to them?

The Mayor: The table provides details on the number of individuals caught using a Transport for London Nominee Pass which did not belong to them for the years requested.

Fake Financial Advisors

Tony Devenish: In reference to an article published by the FT this month, what are you doing to crack down on and raise awareness of the issue of fake financial advisers who defraud and take advantage of vulnerable Londoners?

The Mayor: The article references a specific issue that exploits regulatory areas which are mainly the responsibility of the Financial Conduct Authority and the Insolvency Services. However, these suspects can also be seen in other investigation methods such as investment fraud. The MPS investigates all allegations of this type and has produced the “Little Book of Big Scams” to raise awareness of the subject. As part of the Cyber Security Strategy, MOPAC is assisting the MPS to distribute the booklet. The MPS is also part of a Home Office drive, called Op Otello, to work with NECC partners (including the FCA) across the public and private sectors to strengthen the response to fraud across all 4Ps. The next campaign focuses specifically on investment fraud.

London’s Go Ultra Low City Scheme (1)

Navin Shah: How many new residential charge points have been installed as a result of this scheme? How many were due to be installed?

The Mayor: Since the Go Ultra Low City scheme’s (GULC’s) inception in 2016, 1,902 on-street residential charge points have been installed across 18 boroughs.
The original target to install 1,150 charge points was exceeded by July 2019. As part of the second round of GULCS, approximately 1,000 more residential charge points will be installed across 27 boroughs.

Met Police Estates Programme (1)

Caroline Pidgeon: Will you be considering the outcome of the judicial review into your planned closure of Wimbledon police station when making a decision on the Met’s Estate Strategy and when will you give residents in Wimbledon a clear decision on the future of their local police station?

The Mayor: The front counter has remained open at Wimbledon following the 2018 Judicial Review result. It is therefore still Merton’s 24/7 front counter. In considering any proposal for that site that comes forward MOPAC will take account of the judicial review. At present there is a pause on disposals and the estate is being reviewed in light of increased officer numbers.

Adult Education Contractual Obligations for Providers

Caroline Pidgeon: You have stated that once contracts are granted to providers, they can deliver provision as they see fit based on your priorities and local need. Can you make clear whether, as a base, providers will have to provide the three statutory entitlements to learners, and if this is not the case how will you monitor providers to ensure there is full access to adult education opportunities in all localities across the capital?

The Mayor: Statutory entitlements relate to the full funding of learning for particular types of qualification, based on the profile of the learner. As such, there is no legal requirement for any individual provider to deliver every statutory qualification in all subjects. Rather, decisions are made according to demand and provider specialism. In line with the broader strategic aims, as set out in the Skills for Londoners Strategy and related documents, we will monitor delivery across the whole portfolio of AEB provision, not just the statutory entitlements, to ensure it is meeting Londoners’ needs and to identify and address any gaps.

London Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls strategy (2)

Shaun Bailey: Are you confident that you will fulfil the commitments made in the London Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls strategy by 2021?

The Mayor: I am very confident that through working with my Deputy Mayor for Policing and Crime and partners, I will fulfil the commitments made within the Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls strategy. Significant progress has been made already and work is being undertaken by my Office for Policing and Crime and partners on making sure all the commitments will be delivered by 2021. However, whilst all of us at City Hall are doing all we can to deliver my VAWG strategy it should be noted that Government funding in this area does not match demand and therefore services are under significant pressure, this in turn creates challenges for delivery across all partners. The additional funding I have provided to VAWG services will in part help but we cannot do this alone, and I will continue to lobby government on this issue.

Spontaneous firearms operations

Unmesh Desai: Please can you advise how many spontaneous firearms operations took place in 2019?

The Mayor: There were 3745 spontaneous firearms operations that took place in 2019.

Strategy to Deal with violent crime in over-25s

Caroline Pidgeon: How are you looking at the rise of violent crime in over-25s and how are you dealing with this as a specific challenge, separately from work on youth violence?

The Mayor: Violence affecting those aged over 25 includes a range of circumstances such as gangs and drugs supply, domestic violence and abuse, mental health, vulnerable adults including the elderly, non-intimate partner violence between family members and night time economy related violence.
In March 2018 I published a comprehensive strategy to tackle Violence Against Women and Girls and in 2019 I provided an additional £15m for services to tackle domestic abuse, sexual assault, harmful practices and stalking; supporting some of the most vulnerable women and girls in London.
Furthermore, my Knife Crime Strategy, launched in June 2017, sets out a comprehensive public health approach to tackling violence. A key area of work within this Strategy, which is now led by my Violence Reduction Unit, is the local violence reduction plans. These plans are supporting London Boroughs in their local response to tackling all violence.

Rise in Homophobic Hate Crime in London

Caroline Pidgeon: With homophobic hate crimes in London increasing every year since 2015, how are you working to tackle this, and would you agree that homophobia should be considered an aggravated crime in line with racial and religious hate crimes?

The Mayor: I have been clear throughout my Mayoralty that I will not tolerate hate crime against any of London’s communities, and have committed more funds to combatting it than any other Mayor. Both MOPAC and the MPS undertake a significant amount of stakeholder engagement with London’s LGBT+ communities to ensure their voice is heard in terms of the police response and how we support those subjected to homophobic hate crime.
The London LGBT+ anti-violence charity Galop works closely with MOPAC and the police in developing our response to hate crime. They also play a significant role in providing victim services funded by MOPAC. In recognition of the importance of this work I recently doubled the funding for the CATCH hate crime advocacy service, in which Galop is a lead partner, enabling it to support up to 900 victims this year.
As part of its response to the rise in homophobic hate crime the MPS has launched a new voluntary role of LGBT+ advisor. This cohort of over 160 officers and staff will engage with LGBT+ communities at a grassroots level and, alongside the Hate Crime Liaison Officers who work with local hate crime organisations in every London borough, offer learning and development within the MPS and reassure communities, building trust and confidence to report hate crime.

Evidence base for police officers in pupil referral units

Siân Berry: On 5 January 2020, in an article in the Evening Standard, the Commissioner of Police of the Metropolis committed to: “increase the number of dedicated police officers in schools and pupil referral units across London to 600.” What evidence is the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) using to prove that police presence in schools and pupil referral units ‘reassures and supports’ young people?

The Mayor: The Metropolitan Police Service (MPS) has reviewed a variety of academic research that has highlighted the value of police officers working with schools.
Police working in schools opens up young people’s access to police support, leading to improved relationships and perceptions of the police (Lamont, et al. 2011, p. 20) to pupils feeling safer in school (Bowles et al., 2005; Wright, 2009; Black, et al. 2010) and, ultimately, to reduced offending (Readfearn, 2004; Bhabra et al., 2004; Shaw, 2004; Andrews, 2007).
Lamont, et al. (2011) scoping study states that Safer Schools Officers’ activities, school assemblies and pastoral engagement supports improvements in young people’s knowledge and quality of life (p. 10). In addition, Burgess (2006) stated activities, such as truancy patrols, developing strategies to address unauthorised absences and utilising Acceptable Behaviour Contracts (ABCs) assists in the resolution of behavioural issues, such as bad attendance.
This is further supported by my Mayor’s Office for Policing And Crime (MOPAC)’s Evidence and Insight team work on ‘YOUth Matter!’ in 2016 and the Youth Voice Survey in 2018.

London’s small businesses in railway arches

Caroline Russell: Recently constituents met with Transport for London (TfL) representatives to discuss small businesses in TfL’s arches and their rents. These constituents were told by the TfL representative that their objective was to receive maximum rent rather than to support small and creative businesses fairly. On page 117 of TfL’s Business Plan 2019 and page 147 of the draft Business Plan 2020 there are references to balancing rental income and social good. What are you doing to ensure TfL is fairly treating small business owners in the arches?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) and I have been consistently clear that TfL must recognise the balance between its commercial obligations and its wider social imperative, not least because 86 per cent of its customer base is made up of small businesses.
Last year TfL published its Statement of Support for Small Business (available online) becoming the first landlord to respond to the Federation of Small Businesses’ (FSBs’) plea to publicly show commitment to small businesses. The statement outlines how TfL is helping its small business tenants whilst maintaining rental income goals.
More broadly, TfL continues to work closely with the FSB, the East End Trades Guild and others.
Later this year, TfL will publish a Small Business Policy, setting out its wider approach to small and micro businesses, including specific measures of social value.

Overseas car drivers facing fines for entering the Low Emission Zone (2)

Caroline Pidgeon: To ensure the highest level of compliance with the LEZ and to avoid overseas visitors to London not mistakenly facing excessive fines and harming the reputation of London, will you review the level of information that is provided to overseas visitors, especially at ferry ports and on the Eurostar?

The Mayor: The London-wide Low Emission Zone (LEZ) has been in operation since 2008. A comprehensive multi-media awareness and education campaign ran for several years, explaining tovehicle owners how the LEZ operates, who was affected and the required emissions standards including how to pay if they wished to continue to use a vehicle that didn’t meet the required emissions standards. The campaign included advertising in specialist press titles in key European countries.
The scheme is now fully embedded as evidenced by the very high compliance levels with the required emissions standards. I am confident there is enough information about the scheme available.
Detailed information about the scheme is available on the Transport for London (TfL) website, and there is road signage at every entry pointon the boundary to the LEZ, as well as advance warning signs on motorway and key A road approaches to London.
In addition, TfL’s debt collection service provider, EPC, provides information relating to the various schemes in London, including LEZ, on their information page https://www.epcplc.com/uk_road_user_charging which is available in 26 European languages. This also provides information about exemptions and discounts. Furthermore, EPC also issues information letters to customers who have received Penalty Charge Notices to explain how the scheme operates.

Overseas car drivers facing fines for entering the Low Emission Zone (3)

Caroline Pidgeon: Are you satisfied with the performance of EPC plc relating to its debt collection service for TfL?

The Mayor: In line with all Road User Charging outsourced services, Transport for London’s (TfL) contract with EPC is subject to a comprehensive Service Level Agreement within the contract that measures EPC’s performance against a number of monthly performance indicators. To ensure EPC deliver a service at TfL’s required standard, the level of penalties applied for not meeting a performance indicator depends upon the severity of the impact to customers.
EPC have consistently met the performance indicators throughout the life of their contract with TfL. As such, TfL has no concerns regarding their performance, or the quality of services delivered.

Vision Zero off target

Caroline Russell: I have received a briefing from the campaign group Action Vision Zero that analyses the progress toward the 2022 target of a 65 per cent reduction in the numbers of people killed and seriously injured on London’s roads. Their analysis says that the reduction looks achievable for vehicle occupants but is currently not on target for people cycling, walking and motorcycling with current policies. What actions are you taking to bring improvements in safety that would meet your 2022 target?

The Mayor: Any death or serious injury on our roads is a tragedy and my priority is to eliminate all deaths and serious injuries from London's transport network by 2041, as set out in my Vision Zero action plan.
London has made consistent progress in reducing danger on the road network. However, the target of a 65 per cent reduction in deaths and serious injuries remains challenging.
There has been a dramatic fall in the number of people killed and seriously injured, however people walking, cycling and motorcycling make up 80 per cent of people killed or seriously injured, showing where we need to continue to focus our efforts.
Lowering speeds is one of the most important things that we can do to make our streets safer and 20mph will became the default speed limit within the central London Congestion Charging zone during 2020. This will be followed by lowering speed limits on a further 140 kilometres of Transport for London’s (TfL’s) road network in inner and outer London.
Almost three quarter of collisions resulting in people being killed or seriously injured whilst walking, cycling or motorcycling occur at junctions.This is why TfL will continue to deliver major safety improvements at London’s most dangerous junctions, funded by its Healthy Streets programme of just under £2bn, which is making London's streets safer, more attractive, accessible and people-friendly places.
TfL is introducing a world-leading Bus Safety Standard for the entire bus fleet, ensuring that only the safest buses are driven on London’s streets. Cutting-edge technologies, ranging from fatigue monitoring, specialised lighting and artificial intelligence are being tested on London’s buses as part of the Bus Safety Innovation Challenge. Following the launch of the Direct Vision Standard, vital safety features are also now in place on more than 8,000 lorries to protect people walking and cycling.
These measures, in addition to those outlined in my Vision Zero action plan, are designed to deliver further reductions in road danger and to help us achieve our casualty reduction target by 2022.
While TfL and the Metropolitan Police continue to work to achieve Vision Zero, eliminating deaths and serious injuries will require all Londoners to contribute. I therefore continue to urge all citizens to play their part in ensuring their own and other people’s safety while travelling in London.

Skills for Londoners Integration Projects

Susan Hall: How many boroughs have piloted projects since the launch of your Skills for Londoners strategy to support the integration of those who are most disadvantaged? And what has the impact been?

The Mayor: A key objective of my Skills for Londoners Strategy is to empower all Londoners to access the education and skills to participate in society and progress in education and work. Adult education plays a crucial role in supporting improved social integration for all learners, but especially the most disadvantaged. Following delegation of the Adult Education Budget (AEB) we’ve taken steps to ensure provision being delivered across all of London’s boroughs is more inclusive. For example, AEB provision now supports those in low-paid work to access funded training opportunities, as well as supporting Deaf Londoners to train for a first qualification in British Sign Language.
Our £71m European Social Fund (ESF) programme will also support many of the most disadvantaged Londoners in every borough to get better skills, improving their job prospects and social integration outcomes.
Our ESOL Plus pilots test innovative approaches to overcoming barriers to ESOL for adult learners in London and have to date supported programmes in Croydon, Kingston, Sutton, Tower Hamlets, Wandsworth and Westminster.

Transport for London energy (3)

Leonie Cooper: Has TfL commissioned any new electricity generation assets over the past five years?

The Mayor: In November 2017, Transport for London (TfL) completed a project to bring a combined heat and power (CHP) unit back into use at its head office at Palestra. This was done through a contract let on the GLA’s RE:FIT framework and alongside other improvements to the efficiency of the building.
TfL’s Energy and Carbon Strategy sets out its approach to reduce carbon and cost, following the energy hierarchy. TfL anticipates the delivery of new solar generation at a number of sites in the next financial year, as well as installations through the Retrofit Accelerator programme (formerly known as RE:FIT). TfL is undertaking an assessment of its largest rooftops for their potential to host solar photovoltaic which will complete in Spring 2020.

Step Free National Rail Stations

Navin Shah: What National Rail Stations in London have become Step Free since May 2016? And which stations are due to become step free in the future?

The Mayor: The following National Rail stations in London have become step free since May 2016:
This list excludes new stations that have opened over this time period as these are always provided with step free access from the point of opening.
Step free access schemes are currently underway at the following National Rail stations. These have been grouped by funder and the status of the works. The list does not include new stations that are planned to open as these are always provided with step free access from the point of opening.
The delivery of step free access at these stations is fully funded as part of the Crossrail Project:
The delivery of step free access is fully funded as part of the Department for Transport’s Access for All programme at these stations:
The design for step free access schemes at the following stations is currently funded by the Department for Transport’s Access for All programme. These schemes will only be progressed to delivery if they prove to be feasible, affordable and value for money as the design process progresses:
Other step free schemes:
Kew Bridge - Step free access to be provided to the London bound platform, funded by developer contributions. Step free access to be provided to the country bound platform, funded by the Department for Transport’s Access for All Programme and South Western Railway, subject to affordability.
Surrey Quays - Step free access to be provided using funding from the Housing Infrastructure Fund and developer contributions.

Widening access to NHS apprenticeships

Onkar Sahota: Freedom of Information requests I submitted to NHS Trusts indicate that 3469 apprenticeships were started at London NHS Trusts from 2017 to 2019. Only 967 of these went to new starters. Will you ask NHS Trusts to look at best practice on pooled apprenticeship levy funds and a joint strategy to ensure more Londoners can use this as a route into NHS employment?

The Mayor: While the GLA has no statutory powers over apprenticeships or the NHS, the health and care workforce is a key priority for the London Health Board.
The NHS Long-Term Plan requires entry-level jobs to be offered as apprenticeships before other recruitment options. The NHS Ambassadors scheme promotes the wide range of careers and routes into NHS Trusts in schools and colleges. The apprenticeship levy has also been used by Trusts to train current staff in clearly defined career pathways such as through the new Nursing Associate role.
On pooling, employers can transfer apprenticeship levy funds to other employers, which my Apprenticeships for Londoners programme is supporting. However, multiple employers are not allowed to pool levy funds under the current rules. I will continue to make the case for devolution of apprenticeship funding, so we can take a more strategic approach to ensure Londoners and the city’s employers have access to the skills they need.

Taxis and Bus Lanes (3)

Navin Shah: How many bus lanes have boroughs opened up to taxis since May 2016 and what percentage of Bus Lane length on the borough roads doesthat equates to?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) does not have responsibility for borough roads and therefore does not hold this information in detail. While TfL does monitor changes made to traffic orders across London in order to update its Bus Lane database, the database does not include dates from when taxi access was granted. Accordingly, it is not possible to answer this question accurately.
The TfL Commissioner has previously written to boroughs regarding taxi considerations, including to request access to bus lanes for taxis.

London Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls strategy (11)

Shaun Bailey: What meetings have you personally held or attended within the last 12 months in relation to the London Tackling Violence Against Women and Girls strategy and with whom?

The Mayor: Tackling violence against women and girls is a key priority for me, which is why I have invested record amounts in services to support victims and survivors, this includes £49m to underpin my VAWG Strategy and a further £15m Mayoral VAWG fund, to help services left at breaking point as a rest of cuts.
I attended the Drive Programme in Croydon to meet with service users and frontline workers, to launch the new fund.
As we take a gendered approach to policy making at City Hall, tackling VAWG is central to the wide range of regular meetings and engagements I hold. These include:

Taxis and Bus Lanes (1)

Navin Shah: Further to MQ 2018/0666 can you update me on how many bus lanes TfL has opened up to taxis since May 2016 and what percentage of Bus Lane length on the TfL Road Network that equates to?

The Mayor: Transport for London’s records show that 22 bus lanes have been made available to taxis since May 2016. The length of these bus lanes is 2.5km meaning that the percentage of bus lane length on the TLRN that taxis have access to has risen from 93 per cent to 95 per cent.

Disability hate crime

Shaun Bailey: What specific actions are you taking to address incidences of disability hate crime in London?

The Mayor: Both MOPAC and the MPS undertake a significant amount of stakeholder engagement with London’s Disabled communities, and their representatives, to ensure their voice is heard in terms of the police response and how we support those subjected to Disability hate crime.
Inclusion London, the umbrella organisation for London’s many Deaf and Disabled People’s Organisations (DDPOs) attends the MPS Hate Crime Diamond Group and the London Hate Crime Prevention Board, chaired by Clare Waxman. DDPOs have the opportunity to directly input into how officers and frontline staff are trained to respond to disability hate crime reports and ensure those reporting receive the response that meets their needs. The imminent roll out of the MPS Hate Crime Risk Assessment form, to be used when responding to all hate crime reports, will help embed that improved response.
As well as engaging with local disabled community partners, the MPS is working with its own Disability Staff Association and the Business Disability Association to raise awareness of disability issues, including hate crime, in order to provide a more informed service, particularly in relation to non-visible disabilities.
DDPOs are also partners in London Victim and Witness Service and the CATCH consortium which provides specialist advocacy services for victims of hate crime. I have doubled the funding for this service this year, enabling it to support up to 900 victims of hate crime.

Skills for Londoners All-Age Career Offer

Susan Hall: What provision has been made for the all-age career offer that you mention in objective 1 of your Skills for Londoners Strategy and how much has this provision cost each year?

The Mayor: In 2018, to take forward my vision for an all-age careers offer as set out in the Skills for Londoners Strategy, I launched the Careers for Londoners Action Plan. This outlined a number of work streams to promote an improved offer for Londoners in need of better careers information, advice and guidance (IAG). Having secured £1 million through the Business Rates Retention Pilot to improve careers IAG, I have focused the majority of this spend to date on expanding the London Enterprise Advisor Network – to offer Enterprise Advisors to every state secondary school, Pupil Referral Unit and Further Education College in London - and the Workforce Integration Network, which is supporting young black men into living wage employment in London. I have also used it to promote construction careers by highlighting the work of my Construction Academy at Skills London, an annual event at the Excel exhibition centre, which is attended by over 34,000 Londoners, including year 11 students, teachers and parents.

Smart Water

Keith Prince: When burglaries are committed in London can smart water be given to neighbours as often the criminals will return to the area?

The Mayor: Yes. When a burglary is reported, police contact the victim as part of a cocooning process. They will also contact surrounding neighbours to give crime prevention advice. As part of MetTrace team’s focus on reducing repeat victimisation, the MPS has been offering victims, including neighbours, a MetTrace kit.

Rapid charge points

Navin Shah: How many rapid charge points are there currently and how many of those are dedicated to Taxis? When do you expect to meet your target of 300?

The Mayor: To date, 232 Rapid Charge Points (RCPs) have been installed as part of the Transport for London (TfL) RCP project. All 232 are available for taxis to use and of these, 73 are dedicated exclusively for taxis. TfL is expected to achieve the target of 300 RCPs by 31 December 2020.
Around 100 other public rapid charge points, led by the private sector, are also available for taxis to use. Please see https://maps.london.gov.uk/ev-chargepoints/.

London’s Go Ultra Low City Scheme (3)

Navin Shah: How many of the 1,000 car club bays have been retrofitted with charge points?

The Mayor: There have been 20 dedicated car club bay charge points installed to date, with a further six planned by the end of December 2020. Fewer charging points are being installed at car club bays than originally planned. This is due to state aid constraints as well as feedback received from the industry relating to the commercial viability of this operating model and associated user requirements.
Given the above, the GULCS Project Board agreed to divert funding to install even more residential charge points that, in some circumstances, would also be available for car club operators to use.

London’s Go Ultra Low City Scheme (2)

Navin Shah: How many of the 100 additional charge points, proposed for commercial fleets have been installed?

The Mayor: A proportion of funding was transferred from the GULCs initiative to Transport for London’s (TfL) Rapid Charging Point (RCP) project. This transfer was carried out to especially help meet demand from commercial and professional drivers.
TfL is on track to install 300 RCPs throughout London by 31 December 2020, with 232 delivered to date.

Scrappage (1)

Leonie Cooper: I am pleased that you have expanded the scope of the micro-business vehicle scrappage scheme. What has been the take-up so far?

The Mayor: On 22 January 2020, I announced changes to the van scrappage scheme which, broadly speaking, doubles the grant available to £7,000, with those switching to electric vans now able to apply for grants up to £9,500. The scheme has also been extended from microbusinesses to small businesses to drive further compliance with the scheme.
I am pleased to note that the average number of applications per week received by Transport for London (TfL) has more than doubled in the first two weeks since I announced the changes.
As at 12 February 2020, 646 grant payments have been made, totalling £2,776,000, and 726 associated vehicles have been scrapped. In addition, there are eligible applications in the system that require evidence to be submitted to TfL that a vehicle has been scrapped, and, if applicable, replaced. Once this evidence has been received and assessed, the funds are then released to the customer.

Knife Crime 1

Susan Hall: For each of the years 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 please provide a year age breakdown of knife crime victims and offenders?

The Mayor: Please see attached the requested data for the period specified. It should be noted that knife crime related offences could encompass anything from robbery to violence with injury.

Freedom Pass Malfunctions

Susan Hall: What are you doing to ensure TfL policy allows disabled Londoners access to the transport services they qualify for free of charge, in the event of a freedom pass malfunction?

The Mayor: Where a Disabled or Elderly Persons Freedom Pass stops working, customers should go to the Freedom Pass website or call London Councils to arrange a replacement card, if they are still eligible.
In some cases, non-working Freedom Passes may be accepted for travel. In others, they won’t be, usually where the London Councils have asked for a card to be stopped.
Transport for London (TfL) has a vulnerable person’s policy, not limited to Freedom Pass holders, so that vulnerable people can still travel where they need to.
Information on what to do is given on the London Councils website https://www.londoncouncils.gov.uk/services/freedom-pass/lost-stolen-or-damaged-pass

ESOL participation and progression

Susan Hall: How have you increased the participation and progression of ESOL (English for Speakers of Other Languages) into employment?

The Mayor: Participation in employment and progression into work are key outcomes that I want to see for ESOL learners in London, alongside important social outcomes such as improved integration and wellbeing. The Adult Education Budget (AEB), which funds the majority of ESOL provision in London, was delegated to me from August 2019. With these new powers, I have extended eligibility for fully-funded AEB provision, including ESOL, to learners in low-paid work. This means that more people can access learning to help them progress into work and access better employment.
In May we will publish mid-year data on the delegated AEB, and in November the first full year of data will be available. We will also be commissioning an evaluation of the AEB and are looking at the feasibility of a new annual survey of London’s learners. The findings from the evaluation and any potential survey will help us to better understand how participation in learning has supported ESOL learners’ progression in life and work.

MPS - Online child sex abuse

Joanne McCartney: How has the Metropolitan Police responded to increasing rates of online child sex abuse? How many police officers and police staff are dealing with these offences and where are they based?

The Mayor: The MPS and I recognise the threat and harm Online Child Sexual Abuse can cause. In total, the MPS has 200 police officers and staff that are dedicated to Online Child Sexual Abuse investigations. The MPS has a centralised specialist team of 90 staff, and in January this year has created dedicated teams of nine officers in each of the 12 BCUs. These teams receive specialist training, and all have the necessary digital technology to support their investigations.

Pedestrian crossings

Joanne McCartney: When a report is received of a fault with the audible signals and/or rotating cones on the pushbutton units of a pedestrian crossing on the TfL network, does this crossing get a higher priority for repairs to be carried out? If not, can this be considered, as these units keep those with visual impairment safe?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) is responsible for all traffic signals in London. When a report is received about faulty pedestrian wait buttons, including audibles and rotating cones, this will be actioned for repair as soon as possible. If the pedestrian crossing is near a hospital or a centre for visually impaired people, the contractor will be made aware of this. TfL aim to visit the site of any faulty pedestrian wait button within 48 hours and fix the issue there and then if possible.

Fraud

Tony Devenish: Should the police take fraud far more seriously?

The Mayor: I can assure you that the Met take all reports of fraud seriously. It is the responsibility of the Action Fraud, within the City of London Police to log all reports of fraud. If viable lines of enquiry are identified, then the report will be passed to the Met. The Met provides a dedicated service to identifying offenders and bringing them to justice. Throughout the process, whether handled by Action Fraud or the Met, victims are kept updated with developments and offered victim support through MOPAC’s Integrated Victim and Witness support service as well as the Economic Crime Victim Care Unit which is part-funded by MOPAC.

Non-crime hate incidents

Susan Hall: When someone is reported to the Met for a non-crime hate incident, are records held about this on police computer systems, if so which systems, and would this show up in any the following:
• Basic DBS Check
• Standard DBS Check
• Enhanced DBS Check
• CTC
• SC
• DV

The Mayor: Like many high harm crime types, hate crime incidents are recorded on police systems even when they don’t meet the threshold to be categorised as criminal offences. This serves two important purposes; it helps to build an intelligence picture for police and can ensure that victims can be directed to support services if required.
The systems on which such incidents would be recorded are CRIS/CRIMINT/IIP and PND. Basic and Standard DBS checks would not include information pertaining to non-crime hate reports, but the information may be considered during an Enhanced DBS check. In order to appear on an applicant’s certificate, the information would need to satisfy the national relevancy and proportionality criteria. Incidents would not show up on CTC, SC or DV checks.

Overseas car drivers facing fines for entering the Low Emission Zone (1)

Caroline Pidgeon: The LEZ is mostly aimed at lorries and vans which, if not compliant with the rules, are charged £100 a day. If the vehicle is from outside the UK and not registered with TfL beforehand I understand the fee is £200 a day. If it is not paid, it jumps to £500, then escalates to £750. On top of that, there are extra fees for the debt collectors. Will you investigate whether information about escalating fines is correctly communicated by TfL on its website and whether consideration is given to providing information in different languages? Will you also investigate whether accurate information is provided relating to cars which on some occasions are included?

The Mayor: The London wide Low Emission Zone (LEZ) has been in operation since 2008 and, as evidenced by the very high compliance levels with the required emissions standards, is now fully embedded.
Larger vehicles such as Heavy Goods Vehicles, lorries, buses and coaches that do not comply with the relevant emissions standards are subject to a £200 daily charge or £1,000 Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) for non-payment of the charge. Smaller vehicles such as vans, minibuses, horseboxes and 4x4 light utility vehicles are subject to a £100 daily charge or a £500 PCN for non-payment. Penalties increase by 50 per cent if a PCN is not paid within statutory timescales. The relevant daily charges and PCN levels for vehicles registered overseas are the same as those that apply to UK registered vehicles.
Detailed information about the scheme is available on the Transport for London (TfL) website, explaining tovehicle owners how the LEZ operates, who is affected and the required emissions standards including how to pay if drivers wish to continue to use a vehicle that doesn’t meet the required emissions standards. The website also includes a vehicle checker which all drivers can use to check if their vehicle is affected.
Any driver who receives a PCN can challenge the PCN by making a representation. If a driver can show that their vehicle is compliant with the emissions standards, the PCN will be cancelled. TfL uses a debt recovery agent, EPC, to issue PCNs to the owners of vehicles registered outside the UK. EPC do not add any additional fees to the amount collected on behalf of TfL.

Go Sutton Bus Service

Steve O'Connell: A number of my constituents have contacted me with concerns that the Go Sutton bus service’s one-year trial is nearing its conclusion. Will you commit, before your Mayoral term is complete, to continuing the Go Sutton bus service beyond May 2020?

The Mayor: I am pleased the 12 month trial is proving popular and I am aware of the desire for an extension.
Transport for London is currently assessing the impact of the trial (including the scheme’s costs and benefits) and will be considering next steps over the coming months.

Oxford Street Bus Diversions

Tony Devenish: Recently Oxford Street was temporarily made one way, with buses diverted along Wigmore Street. When such diversions are necessary why does TfL not place temporary bus stops parallel to Oxford Street to minimise the additional distance that bus users have to walk to reach their destination?

The Mayor: Temporary bus stops require a sufficient length of uninterrupted kerb, free from obstacles and parked vehicles, to allow passengers to board and alight safely. Unfortunately, due to the presence of street furniture and trees, and a requirement to maintain loading and parking facilities for businesses and residents, there aren’t any suitable locations for a temporary bus stop in the west-bound direction of Wigmore Street between Wimpole Street and Portman Square. There is a fixed stop in the east-bound direction near Seymour Mews for buses on diversion.
Transport for London would welcome the opportunity to explore better access to the bus network with Westminster City Council to help minimise these issues.

CCTV 2

Tony Devenish: Why are the police telling private businesses to not provide their CCTV to victims of crime due to GDPR rules?

The Mayor: It is a matter for individual businesses to decide what they choose to share with members of the public under GDPR. If a company holds CCTV that will assist police in their investigation, or a member of the public is told by a private company that such CCTV exists, then best practice is for the investigating officer to be informed so that they can collect and review it. Victims taking possession of such CCTV rather than police does have the potential to cause evidential issues however police policy is that they should not advise private businesses on data law.

Rape cases to the CPS

Unmesh Desai: Please provide information on the number of reported rape cases passed by the Met to the CPS in each of the following years: 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019? Please also provide figures on how many were not passed to the CPS in each of these years.

The Mayor: I am advised that current recording practices do not allow the MPS to pull this data from their systems easily and have requested full figures as soon as it is possible.
The Deputy Mayor for Police and Crime Sophie Linden has agreed to raise the issue of case volumes passed between MPS and CPS with senior officials at the MPS. I will ensure that the outcome of these discussionsareshared by MOPAC.

Mayor's Construction Academy

Susan Hall: How many of the Mayor's Construction Academy participants have been involved in building homes that contribute to meeting the homes target?

The Mayor: The Mayor’s Construction Academy supports better coordination and partnership activity between developers, construction employers, training providers and other organisations to support more Londoners to access learning and secure employment. Whilst the programme does not capture individual participant destination data other than confirmation of construction employment and sustained employment, these partnerships mean that providers develop a better understanding of homebuilder workforce needs and can address skills gaps at a local level, leading to employment outcomes that contribute to the target.
Seven hubs went live in March 2019. In the 10 months of delivery to December 2019, 2,508 Londoners found construction employment through hub partners against a comparative 2017/18 baseline of 1,367.

TfL Training

Susan Hall: Can you confirm whether any TfL staff had the 'Leading for London' training (or an equivalent) that was provided to the Met Police around 2 years ago? If so, please provide details of how many took part in the training and the total cost.

The Mayor: I can confirm that no Transport for London (TfL) staff took part in the Leading for London training provided by the Met Police, nor was there an equivalent training course pursued. TfL do provide various leadership development initiatives; however these are designed to meet the specific business needs of TfL and the environment in which it operates.

TFL pass 2

Susan Hall: For each of the years 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 how many people have been caught using a staff TFL pass that did not belong to them?

The Mayor: The table provides detail on the number of individuals caught using a Transport for London Staff Pass which did not belong to them for the years requested.

Police use of live facial recognition (5)

Siân Berry: In several previous facial recognition deployments by the Metropolitan Police Service (MPS), innocent people not wanted by the police for any crime were put on police watchlists and targeted by facial recognition. For example, at Remembrance Sunday 2017, innocent people with mental health problems (so-called fixated individuals) were put on the police watchlist.
Will the Mayor and the MPS commit to not targeting innocent people with mental health problems again with live facial recognition?

The Mayor: Deployment of Live Facial Recognition will be intelligence-led primarily aimed at tackling serious crime, terrorism and to locate high-risk missing people. The sort of factors that an Authorising Officer might consider for a person to be ‘high-risk’ are:
It may, therefore, be that relevant missing people are high-risk because of vulnerability affected by mental ill health.

London Underground audio advice

Joanne McCartney: Do all London Underground ground trains announce the side the doors are opening at the next stop? If not, can this please be considered, as such announcements greatly assist those who are visually impaired?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) appreciates that these announcements are important for a range of passengers, including those who are visually impaired.
Trains on both the Victoria and Jubilee lines already make these announcements, and TfL plans to introduce them on the Bakerloo and Central line fleets, following work to upgrade the customer information systems for these trains. This work is expected to be completed by the end of 2021 on the Bakerloo line, and the end of 2023 on the Central line, as this work is undertaken as part of the wider Central Line Improvement Programme. These announcements will also be rolled out on the Piccadilly line, following the introduction of new trains which will enter service from 2024.
TfL does not currently have plans to introduce these announcements on the Northern, Circle, District, Hammersmith & City, Metropolitan or Waterloo & City lines, due to a range of inhibiting factors. For example, trains on the Circle, District, Hammersmith & City and Metropolitan lines are more likely to serve stations where there is more than one platform at which the train could arrive, such as Earl’s Court. At these stations, it is not possible to adjust this announcement depending on which platform the train has arrived at.
I have asked TfL to keep this under review and look to continue to increase the use of these announcements where possible.

Accessibility of seats on electric buses

Caroline Russell: I have received reports from constituents about the accessibility of seats on electric buses. This is a problem for many Londoners who cannot climb the stairs on the upper deck, including older Londoners. Electric buses have fewer seats on the lower deck and not all of those seats are on level access. Will you ask Transport for London (TfL) to ensure that electric buses remain accessible for all Londoners?

The Mayor: There has been no fundamental change in seat numbers on the lower desk or the low-floor design of double deck buses in London, including the most recent double-deck electric and hybrid diesel-electric models.
If you can ask your constituents to report these accessibility issues and the bus routes involved to Transport for London’s Customer Experience team at https://tfl.gov.uk/help-and-contact/, they will look into them for you. Buses continue to meet all accessibility legislation for the UK, as well as construction and use requirements which look at how passengers typically use vehicles.

TfL Staff Discounts (2)

Keith Prince: How much has the TfL staff National Express discount cost TfL each year since May 2016?

The Mayor: There is no cost to Transport for London (TfL) for the National Express Discount scheme. TfL and National Express have a reciprocal agreement in place where reduced rate travel is offered on each other’s services. In exchange for 20 per cent off travel for TfL employees on National Express services, TfL provide National Express 50 Staff Travel Passes for employee use.

TfL Policy on Broken Oyster Cards

Jennette Arnold: Please provide details of the TfL policy on the help TfL staff should offer to Oyster users with broken or damaged Oyster cards. If there is no formal policy, please provide details of the advice given to staff instead.

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) staff will advise customers to get a new Oyster card and add some credit to pay as you go so they can continue travelling. The customer should then contact TfL’s Customer Services who will arrange to transfer tickets/pay as you go credit from the broken card to the new one. In some limited cases, staff may be able to replace the card at the station.
Passengers are required to have at all times a valid travel mandate and present it when required to do so by an authorised person.

Crossrail 2

Leonie Cooper: Is there any news at all on Crossrail 2 and when further consultation on its revised/final route will be undertaken?

The Mayor: Crossrail 2 remains a vital project for the future of London and the South East’s transport network and housing. Transport for London (TfL) submitted a revised Strategic Outline Business Case to the Department for Transport last Autumn, which takes in the recommendations of the 2018 Independent Affordability Review. The Mayor and TfL, alongside Network Rail, continue their discussions with the DfT and we now await a decision by the Secretary of State on next steps for the project. After that point TfL and Network Rail will be conducting a full public consultation on the revised route proposals.

2014 Data Missing from Bus Safety Data Release

Caroline Pidgeon: On TfL’s bus data page why does the bus safety data release only include data from Quarter 1 in 2015? When will 2014’s Quarterlydata be added to this data set?

The Mayor: Transport for London is committed to publishing data transparently, providing the public with an opportunity to understand the number of people who are injured on our bus network. The data was collected in a different way prior to 2015 so cannot be compared like-for-like with data thereafter.

SME Apprenticeships

Tony Devenish: How are you engaging and encouraging SMEs in London to participate in apprenticeship schemes?

The Mayor: I am committed to making sure businesses of all sizes offer apprenticeships that Londoners of all ages, particularly from disadvantaged backgrounds, can access. As part of this, we have invested £1.3million into three Apprenticeships for Londoners programmes, to support levy-paying businesses and SMEs to create nearly 2,000 new apprenticeships over the next 3 years.
I am also calling for more powers to be devolved to London, to ensure that further opportunities are created to increase participation in apprenticeships, including in SMEs.

Bus usage (1)

Caroline Pidgeon: What is TfL’s estimate of the required increase in bus usage that would be required to ensure that your Transport Strategy objective is met of 80 per cent of journeys being made by active transport or public transport by 2041?

The Mayor: Transport for London (TfL) estimates that daily bus usage (measured in distance travelled by passengers on buses) could need to grow by more than 50 per cent. However, this number will vary depending on the contribution of other active, efficient and sustainable modes to the overall mix.
In 2019, TfL introduced seven new bus routes in outer London, the first increase on such a scale for many years, and enhanced 24 outer London routes. Investing in outer London to increase bus mileage is part of my strategy to encourage a shift from car use in the areas where cars have a high mode share.

Bus Operators (1)

Navin Shah: FollowingMQT 2016/1536can you provide figures for 2019?

The Mayor: The table attached provides the position up to 2020. Previous consolidation of bus operators led to the number changing up to 2009. The market remains competitive with 10 principal players bidding to operate routes. Transport for London (TfL) remains open to new entrants displaying suitable safety, operational and financial capabilities to run high-quality services.

Crossrail 2

Shaun Bailey: What is the realistic timescale for Crossrail 2, given the ongoing delays and problems with Crossrail?

The Mayor: Delays in central government decision making regarding Crossrail 2, and the late delivery and budget overrun of the jointly sponsored Crossrail project have evidently impacted the delivery schedule for Crossrail 2 originally envisaged. Nevertheless, Crossrail 2’s revised Strategic Outline Business Case sets out a plan which is still compatible with my Transport Stategy’s Implementation Plans timescales. We are now awaiting key decisions from the Secretary of State to allow us to progress that work.

Low Emission bus corridors

Caroline Pidgeon: In addition to the rollout of 12 Low Emission bus corridors does TfL have plans to roll-out any further corridors, and if so when will an announcement be made?

The Mayor: There are no plans to roll out any further corridors because the entire bus fleet will be upgraded to meet or exceed the Euro VI standard by October 2020, effectively making the whole of London a Low Emission Bus Zone.
My pledge to introduce 12 Low Emission Bus Zones was completed in summer 2019, around a year ahead of schedule, delivering immediate health benefits to Londoners. Upon completion, the average reduction in annual average nitrogen dioxide at the nine Low Emission Bus Zones where monitoring was available was 28 per cent compared to 2016.

Community resolutions

Andrew Boff: For each of the years 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019, how many community resolutions were given by the Met for drug possession offences, broken down by drug?

The Mayor: Please see attached the requested data for the period specified. It should be noted that community resolution was introduced into the crime recording framework in April 2013. This form of out of court disposal has been used throughout the MPS since September 2017. Before this, only a limited number of boroughs were permitted to use them. Thus, calendar years are not comparable until 2018.

Pedicabs

Navin Shah: What discussions have you had with the new Government over legislation to regulate pedicabs in London?

The Mayor: Most recently I discussed the urgent need to regulate pedicabs with the Transport Secretary Grant Shapps during our meeting in August 2019. My Deputy Mayor for Transport, Heidi Alexander, also raised the issue with Baroness Vere of Norbiton in October 2019.
Pedicabs disproportionately affect London, and their unregulated status creates significant risks for the safety of our road network. Passengers are put at risk when riding in vehicles with unknown operators and uncontrolled safety standards. Fares can be extortionate, as TfL has no powers to regulate them – leaving many passengers feeling exploited and tarnishing our city’s reputation. It is unacceptable that TfL is unable to act to ensure the safe and fair operation of the network at all times.
The Government has previously indicated its willingness to put forward legislation on this matter when time permits, and it must do so urgently. TfL and I continue to lobby the Government on this issue.

Decision to use 2005-2009 period as Baseline for Bus Safety Scorecard

Keith Prince: Please provide me with all documentation including emails, notes, meeting minutes and decision memorandums associated with TfL’s decision to use 2005-2009 as the baseline period for its Bus Safety Scorecard.

The Mayor: The 2005-2009 time period used as a baseline in the Transport for London (TfL) Bus Safety Scorecard is set by the Department for Transport (DfT) and not by TfL.
This was established in May 2011, when the DfT announced a new national baseline for analysing road safety statistics as part of its Strategic Framework for Road Safety, which is based on the average casualty figures from 2005 to 2009.

Metropolitan Line

Navin Shah: I’m getting complaints from my constituents, and as a regular commuter on the Metropolitan line I share the concerns, about the ‘serious failure of TfL’ in providing an efficient service on the Metropolitan line in the recent weeks. There is also criticism of TfL for not providing explanations or apologies for delays and congestion. Can I please have an update on reasons for the poor service on the Metropolitan line and what is being done to eliminate this and how long we have to put up with this situation?

The Mayor: I know this has been a very difficult time for customers of the Metropolitan line. In September Transport for London (TfL) rolled out a new digital signalling system on the line. Despite extensive testing, TfL only experienced reliability issues while running a full service with its trains in a live environment. The issues largely centred around the ability of the trains to connect to the system.
TfL has applied a number of improvements on all 192 trains, on trackside infrastructure, and on the central signalling system. These have had a positive impact, and there’s been gradual improvement in performance as a result of this work. TfL will continue to build on this.
TfL has been carrying out a thorough analysis of all failures – the type, cause, location and duration. All actions and their outcomes are measured throughout the day, reviewed daily by engineers, and weekly by the senior management team. This enables TfL to analyse issues quickly, prioritise mitigations and make informed decisions about next steps.
There is still some way to go until consistently good performance levels are reached on the Metropolitan line. TfL has been constrained by the fact that detailed design, testing, implementation and safety assurance work has to happen in small increments at night and on weekends in order to keep the railway operational for customers. In addition, predicting the point or cause of any single unique failure is not always possible, and due to the complexity of the sub-surface railway environment, recovery can be lengthy and challenging. I am assured, however, that TfL will continue to do everything possible to fully recover service, working around the clock on what is a world-first and very complex programme.
Although this has been deeply frustrating for customers, the benefits of the new signalling will prove to be enormous, bringing faster, more frequent and more reliable journeys to 40 per cent of the Tube network.

Resource Allocation Formula (1)

Susan Hall: Can you provide details of the weighting assigned to the different elements that make up the police Resource Allocation Formula?

The Mayor: During the BCU restructuring process, analytical work was conducted to allocate resources according to the demands on each BCU. Now that each of the BCUs is operating to the new model, this analysis is now being refreshed to ensure that the allocations reflect the current levels of demand for each area.
As these allocations are determined by demand, the effects of factors such as population size anddemographics are captured indirectly. Moreover, the local BCU Commander has the flexibility to decide where best to allocate their resources, including focusing on particular geographic areas within the BCU.
In previous years, the MPS modelled the number of police officers per borough using the “Resource Allocation Formula” or “RAF”. This approach was based on “demand share”. It worked by assessing overall demand by borough and then distributing total available resources by the percentage of demand that each borough is dealing with.
RAF is a “top down” approach, whereas the new approach has been primarily based on a “resource modelling”, “bottom up” approach. This approach assesses the capacity of individual officers to manage a policing workload within each operational strand. It then builds up the overall number of posts within a BCU to adequately deal with these workloads, providing a more evidence-based approach to resource levels across the MPS.

Homophobic hate crime

Shaun Bailey: What specific actions are you taking to address incidences of homophobic hate crime in London?

The Mayor: I have been clear throughout my Mayoralty that I will not tolerate hate crime against any of London’s communities, and have committed more funds to combatting it than any other Mayor. Both MOPAC and the MPS undertake a significant amount of stakeholder engagement with London’s LGBT+ communities to ensure their voice is heard in terms of the police response and how we support those subjected to homophobic hate crime.
The London LGBT+ anti-violence charity Galop works closely with MOPAC and the police in developing our response to hate crime. They also play a significant role in providing victim services funded by MOPAC. In recognition of the importance of this work I recently doubled the funding for the CATCH hate crime advocacy service, in which Galop is a lead partner, enabling it to support up to 900 victims this year.
As part of its response to the rise in homophobic hate crime the MPS has launched a new voluntary role of LGBT+ advisor. This cohort of over 160 officers and staff will engage with LGBT+ communities at a grassroots level and, alongside the Hate Crime Liaison Officers who work with local hate crime organisations in every London borough, offer learning and development within the MPS and reassure communities, building trust and confidence to report hate crime.
However, as well as a robust response to hate crime, I believe it’s equally important to celebrate the diversity in our great city. I’ve been proud to stand alongside London’s LGBT+ communities, hosting London’s Annual Pride Reception at City Hall for the last three years and launching a number of health and inequality initiatives.

Mayor's Construction Academy Hubs

Susan Hall: According to your Mayor's Construction academy hubs map there are no hubs in Croydon, Sutton, Merton, Wandsworth, Richmond upon Thames and Kingston upon Thames. Why is this the case and what efforts have been made to set up hubs in these boroughs?

The Mayor: In the first round of Mayor’s Construction Academy funding back in 2018, we did not receive an application covering Croydon, Sutton, Merton, Wandsworth, Richmond upon Thames or Kingston upon Thames which sufficiently met the stated requirements in the prospectus. A proposal for a hub covering these boroughs led by the South London Partnership was received in the second round of funding. We will shortly be announcing successful applicants to this round and anticipate that delivery will commence in March.

Monitoring of Bus Use on Hackney Road 4

Unmesh Desai: Please provide the bus usage data from the monitoring work undertaken at bus stop Cambridge Heath Station (P) including dates and times when monitoring took place. Please provide a month by month breakdown. Please also explain how bus users unable to board buses have been monitored in this data.

The Mayor: Please refer toMayor's Question 2020/0545.

Monitoring of Bus Use on Hackney Road 3

Unmesh Desai: Please provide the bus usage data from the monitoring work undertaken at bus stop Cambridge Heath Station (O) including dates and times when monitoring took place. Please provide a month by month breakdown. Please also explain how bus users unable to board buses have been monitored in this data.

The Mayor: Please refer toMayor's Question 2020/0545.

Monitoring of Bus Use on Hackney Road 2

Unmesh Desai: Please provide the bus usage data from the monitoring work undertaken at bus stop Hoxton Station (HG) including dates and times when monitoring took place. Please provide a month by month breakdown. Please also explain how bus users unable to board buses have been monitored in this data.

The Mayor: Please refer toMayor's Question 2020/0545.

Monitoring of Bus Use on Hackney Road 1

Unmesh Desai: Constituents in Tower Hamlets have been raising with me that buses on Hackney Road are overcrowded during the morning and evening rush hours since the removal of the 48 bus. Please provide the bus usage data from the monitoring work undertaken at bus stop Hoxton Station (HF) including dates and times when monitoring took place. Please provide a month by month breakdown. Please also explain how bus users unable to board buses have been monitored in this data.

The Mayor: As set out in myresponse to Mayor's Question 2019/20789, Transport for London (TfL) is monitoring demand on bus routes through Hackney Central following recent changes, which included the withdrawal of route 48 and increasing the frequency on route 26. Routes 26 and 55 continue to provide 18 buses per hour at Hackney Road during the busiest times.
The response to 2020/0463 sets out the results of a recent survey at Mare Street. TfL has not carried out recent surveys at bus stop Hoxton Station (HG) or Cambridge Heath Station stops (O and P).
Further on-street surveys are planned with the next one to be undertaken at Hoxton on Hackney Road week commencing 24 February 2020, which is the first week after school half-term. These surveys will record passenger boarding, alighting, bus load and passengers unable to board if applicable. Surveys are undertaken on an ad hoc basis and are not available month-by-month as surveyors need to manually count passengers left behind (if there are any) on street as automated systems are unable to record this.
TfL’s automated data is also used to monitor loads. TfL will continue to monitor the effects of the service changes over the coming weeks using the automated data and the survey on Hackney Road and will analyse bus demand and capacity data to assess whether any additional capacity is needed.

Traffic policing

Tony Devenish: With the government funding substantial extra police, will you now invest in traffic policing to help stop criminals moving freely around the city?

The Mayor: The 2019/20 budget for the Roads and Transport Policing Command is £139.6 million, of which £93.9 million is funded by Transport for London. The planned budget for 2020-21 is £141.4 million. These figures will be revisited to ensure they remain accurate as part of the 2020-21 budget building process.
Tackling violent crime is the priority and the Met have my support in focussing their resources on this issue. Whilst increased Government funding is welcomed, we are also incurring extra costs as a result of being a busy capital city, such as the extensive Extinction Rebellion protests. By not reimbursing the Met for these added pressures the Government are jeopardising the planned increases in officer numbers and consequently our efforts to tackle criminality across London.

Uber 3

Andrew Boff: For each of the years 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2019 for the GLA, please provide the following:
• Number of expenses claims for Uber journeys
• Amount spent on expenses claims for Uber journeys

The Mayor: The GLA does not electronically record or aggregate individual expense claims by supplier and therefore this information is not readily available.
The following information, pertaining to senior staff, the Mayor and Assembly Members, has, however, been collated:
Year
Number and value of Uber expense claims
2015/16
6 journeys with a total value of £164.37
2016/17
17 journeys with a total value of £340.06
13/12/18 – 31/12/19
76 journeys with a total value of £1,399.32

Borough Funding (2)

Navin Shah: What is the Total financial assistance to London Boroughs and third parties TfL is providing in 2019/20? How much do you plan to provide in 2020/21? Please provides figures that are comparable with those on page 336 of the TfL Annual Report and Statement of Accounts 2018/19.

The Mayor: In addition to the formula Local Implementation Plans (LIP) funding provided to boroughs (as set out in question 2020/0668), Transport for London also provides funding to boroughs for the following activities: Bus Priority, Borough Cycling, Liveable Neighbourhoods, Crossrail Complementary Measures, Healthy Streets Supporting Measures etc. Including the LIP funding, the estimate is that £184m was provided to the boroughs in 2019/20 and that £206 million will be provided in 2020/21. This figure will differ from the amount shown in the Annual Report because the latter includes payments on smarter travel, congestion charge payments where relevant. Final figures are only available at the end of the financial year once full spends and claims are available. The funding for infrastructure investment for the boroughs remains in line with the previous year.